In 1979, Native American inmates at the Kansas State Penitentiary filed a pro se complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas against corrections officials claiming several statutory and constitutional violations. More specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that the prison ...
read more >

In 1979, Native American inmates at the Kansas State Penitentiary filed a pro se complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas against corrections officials claiming several statutory and constitutional violations. More specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that the prison officials had violated their First, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights as well as their rights under the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.

The plaintiffs stated that the officials had refused them reasonable access to their traditional Native American religion and that they were discriminated against in the rehabilitation process. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Native American Rights Fund agreed to represent the plaintiffs and the two parties entered into a consent decree on November 14, 1980, which included provisions for a sweat lodge, an Indian medicine man, and allowances for religious drum services four times per month.

The only document we have available for this case is a copy of the consent judgment and decree filed on November 17, 1980 and therefore we have no information on subsequent litigation or any other issue.